Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma make Punjab kings of Gujarat
The duo helped chase down 41 off the last three overs to hand Punjab an unlikely win
The duo helped chase down 41 off the last three overs to hand Punjab an unlikely win
Scorer: Sudeep Poojar | Commentator: @Sudarshanan7
Shashank's heroics made sure that our heart rates went up towards the end. And so the points table wears an exciting look with both Titans and Kings in the middle. That's all from us for tonight. Do join us tomorrow as well, when CSK take on SRH. Till then, take care! Ciao!
11:30pm Time for the presentation
Shikhar Dhawan Kings captain: "It was an amazing game. Very, very close. Boys did the job. Plan was to give a good start, but I got out early. We lost a few wickets early and Shashank came and played a tremendous knock. When you are chasing a big total, you have to keep the momentum going. Shashank showed his class. Magnificent knock. He timed the ball so nicely, it looked effortless. He kept his cool and finished the game. He started from No. 7 and is now showing his positive mindset. Ashutosh also came in and took the game well. The two young boys were keeping their calm and soaking the pressure."
Shashank Singh, Player of the Match: "Still trying to sink in. Visualised all these things, but when it turned into reality, proud of the effort. Coach told me to react to the ball. The wicket is very good, the bounce was good. 200 scored by both teams, so the wicket was fantastic. They are the legends of the game, but when I go to bat I think I am the best. You get experience, couldn't get a lot of matches before. Here the owners and coaching staff backed me. I was very confident."
11:14pm What drama! Kings finally stall their losing run, and it is the second-highest successful chase against Titans in the IPL. Kings steadily lost wickets at the start but what they did not fail to do was keep up with the asking rate. Prabhsimran and Bairstow first, Jitesh a bit, and then Shashank and Ashutosh at the end kept the hits coming and helped the side hunt down the 200-run target. What a platform the IPL is for these unheralded players. Two of them shine and take their team across the line. Did Titans miss a trick but not bringing in the sixth bowler earlier? Should they have promoted Omarzai with the bat, perhaps ahead of Vijay? Lots to dissect for them.
Shubman Gill, Titans captain, gives Mohit Sharma the Purple Cap: "Couple of catches went down. Never easy on a wicket like this when you drop catches. Difficult to defend runs in these conditions. The new ball was doing something. There are always areas to improve. I think 200 was good enough. We were in the game till the 15th over. When you drop catches, you will be in trouble. The way Nalkande bowled in the last match, we went to him for the last over. This is IPL for you - people who you have not seen will come and win games."
Ashutosh Sharma: "I would like to thank Punjab Kings for believing in me. Happy that our team has won. Personal performance happens, but main thing is for the team to win. [Mindset] Shikhar [Dhawan] has told me a lot of things mentally. I was like 'I will do it'. I have won games for my team, so I had the belief. Sanjay Bangar also believed in me, he spoke to me a lot during camps, and that helped. Back home, I had worked with Amay Khurasiya, my coach. He said you will do well when you get the chance."
Only midwicket is out in the deep now
He can bowl short anymore
Gill has a hand on Nalkande's shoulders and shares a few words. Fine leg comes in, mid-on goes back
Harpreet Brar
AR Sharma c Rashid Khan b Nalkande 31 (19m 17b 3x4 1x6) SR: 182.35
Only seven needed in the last over, Darshan Nalkande finally to have a bowl
Charan: "That flat-batted patiently waited six of Mohit's deceptive slow ball is highly underrated. "
For a long time he struggled to break into a talent-packed Mumbai middle order in domestic cricket. Then, he moved to Chhattisgarh, honed his finishing skills, and turned his career around
With a blazing half-century in Ahmedabad, he shows Kings had picked the right man at the auction
The duo helped chase down 41 off the last three overs to hand Punjab an unlikely win
Kings are coming to Ahmedabad on the back of two successive losses, while Titans' only defeat came away from home